It’s safe to say that not every queer person digs opera or classical music. But those who do border on being cult like. In a way, the classical crossover genre — which has its roots in the 1980s (remember Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballe’s “Barcelona” album) — bridged that gap. Performers such as Charlotte Church, Jackie Evancho, Josh Groban and Andrea Bocelli have found victory in the genre. All-male quartet Il Divo is also one of classical crossover’s greatest success stories. An early 21st century creation of Simon Cowell, Il Divo is still going strong after 20 years. Having survived ..read more

With her newest album, “Avalanche,” Jenny Owen Youngs wrote songs about heavy themes, including heartbreak, grief and childhood trauma. But despite what friends and other journalists have told her about the subject matter, Youngs does not believe this is a sad record. “I feel like this is my happy record,” Youngs said with a laugh. “I feel like this is the happiest record I’ve ever made by far. It feels great to me.” She added that she doesn’t “find singing a sad song to be inherently sorrowful.”  “I like sad songs,” Youngs said. “And I think they feel kind of comfortable to me. It’s safe ..read more

Emerging pop artist Jordy challenged himself on his recent tour and failed. The challenge? “I tried getting through the whole tour with one manicure,” he says over Zoom. “I got almost to the end of it, but I was like, ‘I need new nails,’ so we have new nails now.”  In addition to his manicure, Jordy also has a new album out. His bop-heavy second full-length, “Boy,” was released in April. The album’s first single, “Story of a Boy,” is a queer take on the nostalgic classic “Absolutely (Story of a Girl),” which was a hit for the rock band Nine Days in the early 2000s. Twenty-three years late ..read more

Listening to his new album, you wouldn’t know Jake Shears went through a pandemic breakup. After all, he doesn’t process his personal hardships through his music, Shears admitted to me during our recent interview.  And so “Last Man Dancing,” his second solo release after his 2018 self-titled album, is a “party album through and through,” he says. This, then, is a Shears LP down to its deeply disco-heavy core, rooted in the glittery glam-pop sounds of the Scissor Sisters (which, by the way, haven’t totally disbanded, though they are on a very long indefinite hiatus — Shears spoke on that i ..read more

At first glance, the LGBTQ+ artists compilation “Now That’s What I Call Proud” (Universal/Sony) might seem like the kind of Pride month pandering that many in our community have been railing against since mega corporations started slapping rainbows on everything in June. But now, as Republicans are intent on erasing us, it’s more important than ever to know we (and maybe our wallets) haven’t been abandoned (are you listening, Anheuser-Busch?).  The 16-tracks on “Proud” represent a cross-section of performers ranging from classic (Queen, k.d. lang, Elton John, Indigo Girls, Melissa Etherid ..read more

So much has happened in LGBTQ+ music since Adam Lambert released his previous studio album “Velvet” in 2020; namely Lil Nas X. Sure, Lambert deserves credit for being among those who paved the way for LNX, but that means he still has to find his own way to remain relevant in 2023. Lambert’s aptly named new album “High Drama” (BMG) certainly deserves an E for effort. He doesn’t get off to a great start with the first couple of interpretations – “Holding Out For A Hero” (originally performed by Tina Turner) and Sia’s “Chandelier” – as he doesn’t really add anything new or remarkable to the songs ..read more

As YouTube, social media, and self-released music platform Bandcamp grew in popularity, musicians could create music and garner followings from their own bedrooms: hence “bedroom pop” was born, and so was the career of UK-born, 23-year-old singer/songwriter/producer Robin Skinner (he/they), aka Cavetown. Currently embarked on a dense, largely sold out U.S. tour through late spring with international dates to follow, the openly transgender Cavetown — who also falls somewhere on the aromantic and asexual spectrum — recently followed up his 2021 EP, “Man’s Best Friend,” with the single “Fall In L ..read more

There exist very few record labels made by queer and trans musicians for queer and trans musicians. Get Better Records, founded by queer musician and Philadelphia resident Alex Lichtenauer, has been filling that gap for the last several years. Although the label wasn’t overtly LGBTQ+ when Lichtenauer created it in 2009, it now serves mostly queer and trans musicians, and centers LGBTQ and artists of color as part of its mission.  The root of the label’s inception came from Lichtenauer’s experience navigating their gender identity and expression, they said in a statement on the label’s web ..read more

Ty Herndon’s wonderful and powerful new album, “Jacob,” available July 15, is the out gay country singer’s most personal and soul-bearing recording to date. All of the songs reflect moments from Herndon’s life, including his battles with addiction, coming to terms with his sexuality, and experiencing love and loss. The music is equally complex, from the twangy, upbeat tunes “Dents on a Chevy” and “Damn Good Feeling,” ballads like “Lean In,” duets like “Landslide,” as well as the Latin-flavored “Say It for You” and the gospel-infused “Hallelujah.”  Herndon has a strong voice both as a sing ..read more

For Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern, collectively known as Sofi Tukker, it doesn’t need to be Pride for it to feel like a Pride show. The duo has been promoting and practicing the values of inclusivity and self-empowerment in their music and during their concerts since the release of their 2018 debut album, “Treehouse.”  Same goes for the band’s shimmering followup, “Wet Tennis,” a playfully invigorating collection of electro-pop that, after so much sheltering in place, feels like a much-welcome, good-vibes-only, clothing-optional invitation to get back on the dance floor. In additi ..read more